IU’s SNC spreads holiday cheer

IU’s Straight No Chaser members kept the audience in the holiday spirit as they performed their winter concert Dec. 12 at the IU Auditorium.

The 10-member a capella group sang a mixture of holiday songs and songs off its newly recorded album, “Black Label,” which was on sale after the show.

The concert was introduced by an elf who said he was bringing “word from the North Pole.” He said some of the audience had been naughty, but for those who had been nice, the members of Straight No Chaser had a treat.

The group began its set with “I’m Coming Home” and introductions.

One of the 10 singers, Brent Mann, was unable to perform because he lost his voice before the concert, the group said on stage.

Mann has worked just as hard as everyone else in the group, one of the members said, and he deserves just as much credit.

The set switched between holiday music and music promoting the group’s new album.
The group performed holiday songs such as “Silver Bells” and “O Holy Night.”

After a few Christmas songs, the group switched to more contemporary songs such as “Makes  Me Wonder” by Maroon 5 and “Everything” by Michael Buble.

The group went back to holiday songs right before intermission with “O Come All Ye Faithful” and a song called “I’m a Jew” sung to the tune of “Let it Snow.”

After intermission, the group performed songs such as “Apologize” by OneRepublic, “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz and Van Morrison’s “Moondance.”   

To keep up the holiday spirit, the group performed “Do You Hear What I Hear?” and “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.”

The group also performed the classic Straight No Chaser song “Insomniac.”
“It’s a staple of this group,” said Shaun Kelley, the group’s music director.

The set ended with “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” until an encore brought the singers back on stage to perform two more songs.

The holiday concert was one of the singers’ last concerts as a  Straight No Chaser member. Owen Stevenson, a fifth-year senior, will graduate next week.

The group presented him with a gift for his graduation and farewell in front of the audience.

Stevenson then performed his last solo for the crowd.

The encore ended with the group’s popular version of “12 Days of Christmas.”

“We just heard someone say that it was the best $12 she ever spent,” said sophomore Clare Marshall, who attended the show.

“I am pretty critical,” sophomore Samantha Korenfeld said, “and I thought it was amazing.”